Two-way envelope



W. G. KRUEGER TWO-WAY ENVELOPE Jan. 4, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 17. 1964 INVENTOR. iVfi/l'am 6, fllfuqgen fuo/ WK ATTORNEY Jan. 4, 1966 W. G. KRUEGER TWO-WAY ENVELOPE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 17, 1964 INVENTOR. W/ll/am 6, Kruger.

A TTORNE Y United States Patent 3,227,360 TWO-WAY ENVELOPE William G. Krueger, Kansas City, Mo., assignor to Tension Envelope Corporation, Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 17, 1964, Ser. No. 360,633 5 Claims. ((11. 22973) This invention relates to a two-way envelope of the type for sending statements, billings, invoices, solicitations and the like, for which a payment, an. order, ,or other answer is expected to be returned in the same envelope.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide an envelope of this character which is provided with a readily manipulated closureflap with separate adhesive portions for the respective mailings, and which envelope has a portion bearing the postage markings pertaining to the first mailing or other indicia that is easily detached when the envelope is being prepared for the second or return mailing, thus leaving intact a complete envelope for the return trip.

Another object of the invention is to provide an outgoing envelope that is capable of delivering the enclosure safely and securely, and which provides a return envelope that delivers a remittance safely to the original sender.

It is a further object of the'present invention to provide a two-way envelope construction especially adapted for use in connection with automatic inserting and sealing equipment.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a two-way envelope that has the same depth dimension after it has been sealed for the return mailing as it had for the first mailing. i a t 1 In carrying out the invention, the envelope is folded from a single blank having generally rectangular portions to provide front andback panels connected together by a bottom fold, and a side flap connected with the side of one of the panels by a fold and with the other panel by adhesive. The side flap may be inturned and provided with an extension to carry the mailing address for the second or return mailing in registry with a window opening in one of the panels. The extended side flap may also provide a partition dividing the envelope into front and rear compartments. The opposite sides of the panels are directly sealed together by an adhesive to close the compartments. In the case of the extended side flap, the enclosure to be sent for the first; mailing is placed in the front compartment. to expose an v addressthereon through the window openingt for the first mailing and to cover theaddress for the return mailing. Thus the name and address on an invoice appears through the window. opening and provides the address for the outgoing envelope, and the address on the partition or extended side flap serves as the address for the return mailing, to eliminatemistakes. In the case of a short side flap, a reversible card may be inserted into the pocket of the envelope and which has a return address printed thereon in registry with the window. In the envelope of either instance, one or both sides of the panels are extended beyond the seal line therebetween to provide the detachable portion on which the postal indicia or stamp is, placed for the first mailing. The insert opening to the envelope is closed by a flap on one of the panels having a tab or extensionwith adhesive thereon to be sealed to the other panel for the first mailing, and which tab may have a line ofperforations at the base thereof on which the tab is severed after the first use of the envelope. The closure flap is sealed for the second mailing by adhesive which may be applied either to the body of the envelope or to the closure flap, however, it is preferably applied to the body of the envelope to avoid moistening thereof when moisture is applied to the tab 3,227,360 Patented Jan. 4, 1966 for the first use. Provision is made in the construction of the compartniental envelope to assure that the enclosures are inserted in the front compartment when the envelopes are stuffed in mechanical inserting and sealing equipment.

To use the compartmental form of envelope for the return mailing, the closure flap is opened by tearing loose the tab portion and detaching the tab through the perforations. The portion of the envelope which bears the postage markings for the first mailing is also detached. The enclosure is removed from the front pocket. This exposes the mailing address for the second mailing. The return enclosure is placed by hand in the rear pocket and the closure flap is folded and sealed. This time an ordinary postage stamp may be used and placed in the usual position on the front panel.

In accomplishing the above objects of the invention and other objects as hereinafter described, I haveprovided improved structure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a face side of the preferred form of envelope, prior to folding of the closure flap, to better illustrate the construction of the envelope of the present invention, and that is furnished in quantities by the envelope manufacturer to the first user.

FIG. 2 is a perspective View of the back face side of the envelope prior to folding of the closure flap and showing portions of the back panel broken away, to better illustrate the interior construction.

FIG. 3 is a similar view showing the insertion of an enclosure or enclosures in the front pocket for the first mailing. I

\ FIG. 4 is a perspective view after the tab orextension on the closure flap has been sealed for the first mailing, a portion of the back flap being broken away to show the enclosure.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the face side of the envelope as it appears for the first mailing, with the mailing address on the enclosure appearing in the .window opening.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the envelope of FIGS. .4 and -5, illustrating the closure flap opened by the first addressee, and the insertion of the return enclosure or enclosures into the rear compartment, and showing the detachable portion which bears the postal marking or indicia removed from the body of the envelope.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the envelope with the closure flap sealed for the second mailing, and showing the detachable portion removed, with the postage stamp applied to the body of the envelope in the usual manner.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the partly folded blank from which the envelope is formed, arrows being applied to show folding thereof.

FIGS. 9 and 10 are perspective views showing modified forms of the invention.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, and first to the blank illustrated in FIG. 8: V

1 designates a blank cut from usual envelope material to provide generally rectangular portions 2. and 3, having a line of fold 4 extending transversely therebetweenr Projecting laterally from one side edge of one of the rectangular portions 2 or 3,. for example, the portion 2, is an extension 5, which has a line of fold 6. Extending in parallel relation with the line of fold 6 at the opposite ends of bothrectangular portions 2 and 3 is a line of perforations 7. Projecting from one of the rectangular portions 2 or 3 opposite the line of fold 4 and along a score 4' is an extension 8 that extends from the line'of fold 6 to the line of perforations 7. Projecting from the outer edge 9 of the portion 8 is a smaller extension or tab 10, having a line of perforations 11 extending across the base thereof in approximate alignment with the edge 9. One of the rectangular portions 2 or 3, for example, the rectangular portion 2, has a window opening 12 therein, and correspondingly located on the face of the extension is the address 13 of te first user of the completed envelope.

The blank 1 thus described may be folded and sealed in an envelope making machine (not shown) to provide the finished envelope of the invention as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In the envelope making machine, the extension 5 of the blank is folded on the line of fold 6, as shown by the arrow 5', to a position indicated by the dot and dash lines 14 of FIG. 8, to bring the address 13 thereon into registering relation with the opening 12. In this form of the invention, adhesives 15 and 16 are applied to the inner face of one of the rectangular portions, such as the portion 2, preferaby in the form of stripes extending along the line of perforations 7 on the side nearest the fold line 6 and along the marginal edge 17, respectively. A similar stripe of adhesive, indicated by the dot and dash lines 18 (FIG. 8), is applied to the outer face of the foldedover extension 5. The rectangular portion 3 is then folded on the line of fold 4, as indicated by the arrow 3', to bring the inner face 19 thereof into sealing contact with the stripes of adhesive 15, 16 and 18. At some stage within the envelope making machine, adhesive 20 is applied to the portion 10. Also, adhesive, which may be in the form of spaced apart stripes 21 and 22, is applied to the rectangular portion 3 along the outer marginal face 23 thereof, and the adhesive stripes 20, 21 and 22 are dried.

When the blank is thus folded with the adhesive applied, the parts of the rectangular portions 2 and 3 that are contained between the line of perforations 7 and fold 6 constitute the generally rectangular front and rear panels 24 and 25 of the completed envelope 26, and the extension 5 constitutes a partial partition flap 27 lying between the front and rear panels 24 and 25 to divide the envelope pocket 28 into front and rear compartments 29 and 39 (FIGS. 2 and 3) at the place of the window opening 12. In this form of the invention, the back panel 25 is of less depth than the front panel 24 and the partition flap 27, so that the upper marginal portion 31 of the partition flap 27 projects above the edge 32 of the back panel 25, for a purpose later to be described. However, in the form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 9, the front and back panels 24 and 25, as well as the partition flap 27, are all of the same height, and a notch or opening 33 is provided in the upper marginal edge 34 of the back panel 25 to expose a portion 35 of the partition flap 27.

The envelope pocket 28 is closed at the bottom by the fold 4 and at the sides by the fold 6 and the adhesive 15, respectively, leaving the panels 24 and 25 open along the top to provide an insert opening 36 into the pocket (FIGS. 2, 3 and 6). The portion 8 of the blank provides a closure flap 37 coextensive with the insert opening 36, and terminating at the line of perforations 7 and which is adapted to be folded over and sealed to the back panel 25, first by means of the adhesive 20 on the tab 10 for the first mailing, and then by the adhesive stripes 21-22 for the return mailing.

The portions of the blank which extend outwardly beyond the line of perforations 7 provide a double-thick extension 38 which bears the postmark or other postal indicia 39 on the front face side thereof (FIGS. 1, 5 and 7). The postal indicia may be preprinted, applied by a postage meter, or a stamp. The front panel 25 may also have a square or the like 40 printed in the upper righthand corner thereof (FIGS. 1 and S) to designate placement of a stamp 41 (FIG. 7) thereon for the return mailing, at later described. The opposite corner of the panel 25 may have printed thereon the return address of the first user, as indicated at 42 (FIGS. 1, 5 and 7).

The form of the invention shown in FIG. 10 follows the construction of the form illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 except that the side flap 31' does not provide front and back compartments. Also, the detachable extension 43 is formed of single thickness and may be provided as an extension from one panel, in which case the other panel terminates at the perforations 7. In this form, the closure flap 37 may be sealed for the return mailing by a stripe of adhesive 44 that is applied directly thereto, instead of to the back panel 25. This form of closure fiap is suited to insertion of an enclosure and moistening of the adhesive 20 manually, since the moisture may be applied with care without wetting of the adhesive 44. If, however, the envelope is to be stuffed at high speeds in an automatic inserting machine, the application of the gum 21 and 22 as shown in FIG. 2 is best, because moisture required to wet the adhesive 26 is less likely to Wet the adhesive for the return use of the envelope, it being obvious that if only a small fraction of the adhesive for the return mailing is moistened, then the back panel of the envelope will stick thereto and the envelope would be torn when openedafter the first mailing, with the result that it would be useless for the return mailing. Utilization of the feature where one line of adhesive is on the tab 10 of the closure flap 37 and the other line or lines of adhesive are on the back panel 25 precludes this possibility.

In using the envelope of FIGS. 1 and 2 for sending out invoices A including a statement B having a return stub C attached, it is understood that envelopes are selected so that the pockets 28 therein conform to the size of the statements, and that the location of the window opening 12 conforms to the location of the address 45 upon the statement. In inserting the statement, the projecting marginal portion 31 of the partition 27 may be pulled back by the fingers against the back panel 25 to open up the insert opening to the front compartment 29, and the statement B with the stub C attached thereto is slipped into the front compartment 29 (FIG. 3), with the side edges sliding down the closed sides of the pocket until the lower edge engages within the bottom fold 4. Care is taken to see that the address 45 on the statement faces the inner face of the front panel 24. When the statement is seated within the pocket 28, the address 45 appears within the window opening 12. In this position, the statement covers the address 13 that has been printed on the partition flap 27. The adhesive 20 is then moistened and the closure flap 37 is folded on a score line 4' so that the moistened adhesive on the tab 10 is brought into sealing contact with the outer face 23 of the back panel 25, as shown in FIG. 4. If the postage indicia 39 has been previously printed on the extension 38, the envelope is now ready for mailing. Otherwise, the envelopes are runthrough a stamping or metering machine as in the case of metered mail.

The extension 38, owing to the adhesive and the fold 4, is very rigid and is at least as stiff as the body of the envelope, so that it retains its position in the plane of the front panel. Thus the envelope is handled in the mail in the manner of any other envelope, and in the case of a stamp may be run through a canceling machine.

While it is desirable to use the outer adhesive stripe 16, this adhesive may be omitted if desired. Also, other arrangements of the adhesive may be used if found desirable.

If the envelopes are to be used in mechanical inserting and sealing equipment, it is obvious that the fingers or suckers of such equipment will engage the projecting portion 31 of the partition flap to lift it against the back panel, thereby opening up the front compartment 29 and closing the rear compartment 30, to assure that the insert enters the front compartment.

In the form of the invention shown in FIG. 9, the sucker of the inserting equipment engages the exposed portion 35 of the partition flap through the opening or notch 33 in the back panel.

When the envelope of FIGS. 1 and 2 is received by the addressee, the closure flap 37 is readily opened by lifting it sufficiently to pull the. tab or extension loose from the back panel. This leaves the tab attached to the closure flap, but it may be detached therefrom by tearing along the line of perforations 11. By making the perforations strong enough so that the extension 10 is the first to come loose, then the closure flap is not apt to come loose during handling thereof in the mails. The invoice may then be readily removed from the pocket of the envelope.

In using the envelopefor returning a payment together with the stub C, the stub C is removed and inserted with a check D into the rear compartmentSt). The rear compartment is readily opened by lifting the edge 32 of the back panel 25. The enclosures will then slide freely into the compartment 32, since the projecting portion 31 of the partition fiap serves as a guide. The pro-applied address 13 on the partition flap 27 now appears in the window opening 12 to serve as the return mailing address.

The envelope is now sealed by moistening the adhesive stripes 21 and 22 and folding the closure flap 37 to make sealing contact with the moistened adhesive. The extension 38 bearing the postage marks 39 of the first mailing is removed by tearing itotf along the line of perforations 7. This is made easy by the projection of the extension of the front panel 24 above the extension of the rear panel 25, to give a portion on which the tear is started. A stamp 41 is applied over the designation 40 to complete the envelope for return to the address 13 on the partition flap. a i i Attention is directed to the fact that the closure flap is always folded on the same fold, thereby making the envelope unique in providing a two-way envelope that is of the same depth on 'boththe outgoing and return uses. This allows return of a stub and/or other enclosure of the same height as the original enclosure.

While a single use of theenvelope is described, namely,

the sending out of invoices and the return of a check and a stub, it is obvious that the envelope is adapted to sending out solicitations, orders, or any letter or content using the same envelope for sending his reply.

The envelope of FIG. 10 is used in a similar manner, with the exception that a reversible card E bearing the respective mailing addresseson the respective faces is used in the pocket of the envelope.

WhatI claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a two-way mailing envelope including substantially rectangular front and rear panel portions connected alongbottom and side edges thereof to provide a pocket therebetween and an extension portion projecting from one of the connected side edges for carrying postage for a first mailing,

the remaining top edges of said portions being unconnected to provide an insert opening to the pocket,

one of said panels having a window, and r r a partition flap extending from one of the oppositely connected side edges into the pocket and having a of said exposed face portion of the partition flap to pull the partition flap against said other panel to open up the insert opening to the compartment at the side of the window and to close the insert opening to said other compartment to assure insertion of an enclosure into the compartment nearest the window for the first use for exposing an address on blank having generally rectangular portions connected by a transverse fold in overlying relation and having portions thereof providing the front and rear panels of the envelope at one end and a detachable portion extending from the other end of at least one of the panels for bearing the postal indicial pertaining to the first use,

one of the panels having a window opening,

a partition flap connected by a fold with the outer side edge of one of the panels and having a portion lying between said panels in covering relation with the window opening to divide the envelope into separate compartments,

said partition flap having a mailing address thereon for the second use,

an adhesive securing the corresponding side edge of the other panel to the partition flap near the fold thereof, 7 e

an adhesive stripe securing the opposite sides of the panels together to complete closure of three side edges of the envelope,

the remaining side edge being unconnected to provide an insert opening for the envelope extending only between the connection of the partition flap and said stripe of adhesive,

said partition flap having a face portion at said insert opening exposed by the unattached edge of the rear panel for engagement of the exposed portion of the partition flap to pull the partition flap against said rear panel to open up the insert opening to the compartment on the side of the window opening and to close the insert opening to said other compartment to assure insertion of an enclosure into the compartment nearest the window opening for the first use to expose an address on the enclosure in the window opening for the first mailing while covering said address on the partition flap,

said address on the partition flap being exposed when the enclosure is removed and an enclosure is inserted in the other compartment for the second mailing,

said'detachable portion being detachable along a line of detachment on the outer side of said adhesive stripe,

a closure flap extending from one of the panels to close said insert opening terminating at said line of detachment,

a tab portion projecting from the closure flap and havinga line of severance at the base thereof,

adhesive on the tab portion to seal the closure flap to the other panel for the first use, and

adhesive on said other panel to seal the closure flap for the second use.

3. An envelope for two-way use, including generally rectangular panels providing front and rear sides of a pocket Within said envelope and at least one of the panels providing an extension from one end of the envelope for carrying the postage and cancellation marks of the first use,

means connecting the panels for closing the bottom and ends of the pocket, said panels being unconnected between said closed ends for providing an insert opening into the pocket for inserting enclosures for both uses of the envelope,

the front of the envelope having a window,

partition flap within the pocket and extending from one end across the window to divide the pocket into compartments, one for containing an addressed enclosure with the address exposed in the window for the first use and the other for containing an enclosure for the second use when an address on the partition flap appears in the window,

said extension having a line of severance located exteriorly of the pocket and on which the extension is detached to remove postal indicia pertaining to the first use and leaving said envelope intact for the second use,

closure fiap extending along the unconnected portion of one of the panels and terminating at said line of detachment and foldable over the insert opening to close said insert opening whereby the closure flap is independent of the extension,

detachable tab on the closure flap and having adhesive for sealing the closure flap during the first use, and

adhesive on the closure flap for sealing the closure flap during the second use.

unobstructed continuous surfaces over the entire area of said faces of the extension for carrying postal indicia and cancellation for the first mailing,

said extension having a line of severance on the outer side of the said one side connection for detachment of said extension to remove postal evidence of the first mailing from the body portion of the envelope and leaving said side connection intact and the pocket of its original size for the second mailing of an enclosure and the body portion of the envelope free of evidence of the first mailing,

single sealing flap on one of the panels for closing the, insert opening, and

means for sealing said flap to the other panel for each of said mailings,

said sealing flap terminating at the line of severance so that the sealing flap remains intact for the second mailing.

4. A two-way mailing envelope having a body portion including substantially rectangular front and rear panels connected along bottom and side edges thereof to provide a pocket therebetween having an insert opening along said other edges for insertion of an enclosure into the pocket for both a first and second mailing, an extension provided as an integral continuation of at least one of the panels having outer faces providing JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Examiner. 

1. IN A TWO-WAY MAILING ENVELOPE INCLUDING SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR FRONT AND REAR PANEL PORTIONS CONNECTED ALONG BOTTOM AND SIDE EDGES THEREOF TO PROVIDE A POCKET THEREBETWEEN AND AN EXTENSION PORTION PROJECTING FROM ONE OF THE CONNECTED SIDE EDGES FOR CARRYING POSTAGE FOR A FIRST MAILING, THE REMAINING TOP EDGES OF SAID PORTIONS BEING UNCOMNECTED TO PROVIDE AN INSERT OPENING TO THE POCKET, ONE OF SAID PANELS HAVING A WINDOW, AND A PARTITION FLAP EXTENDING FROM ONE OF THE OPPOSITELY CONNECTED SIDE EDGES INTO THE POCKET AND HAVING A PORTION LYING FREELY BETWEEN SAID PANEL PORTIONS IN COVERING RELATION WITH THE WINDOW OPENING TO DIVIDE SAID END OF THE POCKET INTO COMPARTMENTS AND TO CARRYING A MAILING ADDRESS FOR RETURN MAILING THAT IS VISIBLE IN THE WINDOW OPENING WHEN THE COMPARTMENT NEAREST THE WINDOW IS EMPTY, SAID PARTITION FLAP HAVING A FACE PORTION AT SAID INSERT OPENING EXPOSED BY SAID OTHER PANEL FOR ENGAGEMENT OF SAID EXPOSED FACE PORTION OF THE PARTITION FLAP TO 